PONTIAC, Mich. – There’s a special automotive facility called the M1 Concourse just off Woodward Avenue north of Detroit that hosts automotive events all year long, from mega Cars & Coffee gatherings to automotive press reveals. One their biggest, the American Speed Festival, comes at the end of the year and celebrates motorsports in America. This past October, the M1 Concourse hosted its 4th Annual American Speed Festival (ASF) for a weekend of celebrating racing cars of all stripes and vintage Stock Cars in association with the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
This sprawling 87-acre complex located in Pontiac, Michigan, is a car-lover’s dream, with a 1.5-mile road-course track, a paved skid pad, a few hundred private-garage man caves and a beautiful events center. Indoor and outdoor display spaces overlook the racetrack and the private car condominiums feature living rooms, kitchenettes and personal garages – with many open to tour (for a fee) on early Friday evening of the three-day weekend event. New for 2024, the M1 Concourse added the thrill of timed racing to the event with its American Speed Festival Challenge, where participants were given a chance to race on the M1 Circuit. Open to the public on Friday and Saturday, drivers got to compete in the Stiletto Shootout (for women) and the ASF Challenge Cup (for men). The drivers with the fastest times were presented on the podium on Sunday, complete with a trophy and a champagne celebration.
As frequent readers here might expect, our own Ford retiree, super-enthusiast and longtime photojournalist Bill Cook was there with his trusty camera in hand, and filed this report:
“I arrived at the M1 Concourse when the gates opened at 8 a.m. and spent all day Friday at the American Speed Festival, not leaving until after 5 p.m. The ASF is an excellent chance to experience a broad array of race cars in motion from multiple eras on the M1 Concourse Speed Ring. The car owners are more than willing to talk with and answer questions for enthusiasts and first-time spectators.
“This was the first day of three days of live track and display events. Features included Classic Stock Cars, Sprint Cars, Ferrari Challenge, Vintage Indy Racecars, Drift Cars, Endurance & Sports Racers and even a Richard Petty Tribute. Most cars were built for speed, while others became popular because of their style. I hope you enjoy the photos of some of the Fords I saw at the event below:”
FORD PERFORMANCE PHOTOS / COURTESY BILL COOK
